Francis Preston Blair Lee III (May 19, 1916 – October 25, 1985) was an American Democratic politician. He served as the

Secretary of State of Maryland The secretary of state of Maryland is charged with the administrative and record-keeping functions of the state government of the U.S. state of Maryland. The secretary of state also holds custody of the Seal of Maryland. Unlike in many states, ...

from 1969 to 1971. He was

Lieutenant Governor of Maryland The lieutenant governor of Maryland is the second highest-ranking official in the executive branch of the Government of Maryland, state government of Maryland in the United States. The officeholder is elected on the same ticket as the governor of ...

from 1971 to 1979 and served as the Acting

Governor of Maryland The Governor of the State of Maryland is the head of government of Maryland, and is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state and has a broad range of appointive powers ...

from 1977 to 1979, during

Marvin Mandel Marvin Mandel (April 19, 1920 – August 30, 2015) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 56th Governor of Maryland from January 7, 1969, to January 17, 1979, including a one-and-a-half-year period when Lt. Governor Blair L ...

's self-imposed suspension of gubernatorial powers and duties.

Early life, family and career

Lee was born in

Silver Spring, Maryland Silver Spring is a census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, near Washington, D.C. Although officially unincorporated, in practice it is an edge city, with a population of 81,015 at the 2020 censu ...

, the son of Elizabeth S. (Wilson) and Colonel Edward Brooke Lee, the former Comptroller of the state of Maryland (chief financial officer). He was a member of the

Lee family The Lee family of the United States is a historically significant Virginia and Maryland political family, whose many prominent members are known for their accomplishments in politics and the military. The family became prominent in colonial Bri ...

, a major historical

political family A political family (also referred to as political dynasty) is a family in which multiple members are involved in politics — particularly electoral politics. Members may be related by blood or marriage; often several generations or multiple sibli ...

in American history. He was grandson of the first popularly elected

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

Blair Lee I Francis Preston Blair Lee (August 9, 1857December 25, 1944) was a Democratic Party (United States), Democratic member of the United States Senate, representing the Maryland, State of Maryland from 1914 to 1917. He was also the great-grandson of A ...

; direct descendant of signer of the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the ...

Richard Henry Lee Richard Henry Lee (January 20, 1732June 19, 1794) was an American statesman and Founding Father from Virginia, best known for the June 1776 Lee Resolution, the motion in the Second Continental Congress calling for the colonies' independence from ...

and also

Francis Preston Blair Francis Preston Blair Sr. (April 12, 1791 – October 18, 1876) was an American journalist, newspaper editor, and influential figure in national politics advising several U.S. presidents across party lines. Blair was an early member of the De ...

, an adviser and friend of

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...

, Martin Van Buren, and

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

. Lee majored in

American history The history of the lands that became the United States began with the arrival of the first people in the Americas around 15,000 BC. Numerous indigenous cultures formed, and many saw transformations in the 16th century away from more densely ...

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

, where he graduated with a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in 1938.Maryland Manual 1971–1972 (Annapolis: The Hall of Records Commission, 1972), 10-11. & Archives of Maryland Biographical Series His thesis, "The Free Soil Movement in the 1840s", was based on correspondences between his ancestors and Presidents, cabinet members, and others from his family's private collection. After spending time studying law at

The George Washington University , mottoeng = "God is Our Trust" , established = , type = Private federally chartered research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.8 billion (2022) , preside ...

, the entry of the United States into

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

in 1941 resulted in Lee joining the

United States Navy Reserve The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2005, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called Reservists, are categorized as being in either the Sele ...

. He spent the War working on supply ships in the Atlantic Ocean. It was also during the War, on July 6, 1944, that he married Mathilde Boal with whom he would have eight children. After four years of service, Lee was discharged with the rank of

lieutenant commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...

in 1945. After the War, Lee began work as a newspaper journalist. He worked as an editor for his father's newspaper, the ''Maryland News'', and also served as President of the Maryland Press Association and Silver Spring Board of Trade in 1949. Lee also pursued environmental interests in government, serving as Vice Chairman and Park Commissioner of the

Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a bi-county agency that administers parks and planning in Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland. History The commission was formed in 1927 by the Maryland G ...

(MNCPPC) until 1951, and Executive Officer of the

National Capital Planning Commission The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) is a U.S. government executive branch agency that provides planning guidance for Washington, D.C., and the surrounding National Capital Region. Through its planning policies and review of developmen ...

from 1951 to 1954.

Maryland political career

Lee entered politics shortly after the end of the Second World War, serving as delegate to the

Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 ...

in 1948, and later in 1960 and 1964. He was elected to the

Maryland House of Delegates The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the legislature of the State of Maryland. It consists of 141 delegates elected from 47 districts. The House of Delegates Chamber is in the Maryland State House on State Circle in Annapolis, ...

in 1954, and served until 1962, when he made an unsuccessful bid for the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

. In the House, Lee served as chairman of the Montgomery County delegation, and was chosen in 1958 by the Maryland Legislative Correspondents Association as "Legislator of the Year" for his efforts in resolving a crisis that emerged between the

Maryland General Assembly The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland that convenes within the State House in Annapolis. It is a bicameral body: the upper chamber, the Maryland Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamb ...

and the Maryland State Teacher's Association. In Presidential politics, Lee served as campaign manager for

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...

1960 Presidential bid in Montgomery County, and later in 1964 as regional coordinator for the

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...

campaign. In 1966, Lee entered the

Maryland State Senate The Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. Composed of 47 senators elected from an equal number of constituent single- ...

, where he served on the Finance Committee as vice chairman and in the Legislative Council. He was chosen

by Governor

in 1969.

Lieutenant Governor and Acting Governor

Following the amendment of the

Constitution of Maryland The current Constitution of the State of Maryland, which was ratified by the people of the state on September 18, 1867, forms the basic law for the U.S. state of Maryland. It replaced the short-lived Maryland Constitution of 1864 and is the fourt ...

in 1970, the office of

was created, and voters chose Lee to serve in that position. During his tenure as Lt. Governor, Lee served on various committees and commissions established by the Governor. Also as Lt. Governor, Lee helped prepare the budget, determine policy actions, and served as chairman of the Governor's Cabinet, as well as Governor's Chief of Staff. The most notable moment of Lee's career occurred when Governor Mandel designated Lee as Acting Governor of Maryland, effective with a letter dated June 4, 1977, per Article 2, Section 6b, of the Maryland Constitution of 1867. Mandel's decision was the result of a stroke, as well as federal political corruption charges that were linked to some $200,000 in gifts received. Lee continued to serve as Acting Governor until Mandel rescinded his letter on January 15, 1979, though Mandel briefly reinstated Lee as acting governor the next day so he would be able to preside over the appointment of a judge to the

Maryland Court of Appeals The Supreme Court of Maryland is the state supreme court, highest court of the U.S. state of Maryland. Its name was changed on December 14, 2022, from the Maryland Court of Appeals, after a voter-approved change to the state constitution. The cou ...

. Even with the added boost of serving as acting governor, Lee was not able to overcome the severe damage the Mandel Administration had taken as a result of the corruption trial. He unexpectedly lost his attempt for election in the Democratic primary to

Harry R. Hughes Harry Roe Hughes (November 13, 1926 – March 13, 2019) was an American politician from the Democratic Party who served as the 57th Governor of Maryland from 1979 to 1987. Early life and family Hughes was born in Easton, Maryland, the s ...

, who would later win the general election and succeed Mandel as governor in 1979. Lee stated a few days after the loss that he was relieved of a burden, and that it was a "luxurious feeling" coming upon problems that he would not have to worry about. However, acquaintances and staff members commented that he seemed melancholic and deflated. Many of his staff shared the same feelings, since the loss was unexpected and most did not have any contingency plans. Retrieved May 20, 2007.

Later years and legacy

In 1980, Lee was appointed to the

University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...

Board of Regents, where he served until his death from cancer at his home in Silver Spring on October 25, 1985. After his death, commentators remarked that Lee was an able governor, but a modest politician who was not comfortable working in crowds and did not adequately distance himself from the corruption of Mandel and Mandel's predecessor,

Spiro Agnew Spiro Theodore Agnew (November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996) was the 39th vice president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1973. He is the second vice president to resign the position, the other being John ...

. Lee was also damaged by family troubles, which included the suicide of one of his sons in 1973. Nevertheless, Lee was praised by the media for his eloquence, honesty, and capable administrative skills. He is buried in

Rock Creek Cemetery Rock Creek Cemetery is an cemetery with a natural and rolling landscape located at Rock Creek Church Road, NW, and Webster Street, NW, off Hawaii Avenue, NE, in the Petworth neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. It is across the stree ...

in Washington, D.C.

References

External links

Lee Family papers
at the

University of Maryland libraries The University of Maryland Libraries is the largest university library in the Washington, D.C. - Baltimore area. The university's library system includes eight libraries: six are located on the College Park campus, while the Severn Library, an of ...

, - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Blair III 1916 births 1985 deaths 20th-century American journalists 20th-century American politicians American male journalists American people of English descent Blair family Burials at Rock Creek Cemetery Deaths from cancer in Maryland Democratic Party governors of Maryland George Washington University Law School alumni Journalists from Maryland Blair Lieutenant Governors of Maryland Democratic Party Maryland state senators Democratic Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates Military personnel from Maryland People from Silver Spring, Maryland Princeton University alumni Secretaries of State of Maryland United States Navy officers United States Navy personnel of World War II